Featherston's WWI Military Training Camp (Wairarap Traditional Cache
Featherston's WWI Military Training Camp (Wairarap
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This cache is situated in the middle of the site occupied by Featherston's WWI Military Training Camp
In January 1916 the biggest army training camp in New Zealand opened in Featherston. The camp which could accommodate 8000 - 9000 soldiers and was at the time the largest settlement in the Wairarapa when Masterton's population was only 5,500.. It covered almost 30 Ha and was conected to the Wairarapa railway by its own branch line.
The permanent accommodation of the camp was designed and built between August 1915 and Jan 1916 by a workforce of 1000 men. 30 tonnes of nails were used on the 250 plus buildings which included 16 dining halls.
To the hill side of the cache, ( the west), were the hutts which could house 4,500 soldiers. Also on this side of SH 2 were the stables which were necessary for the large number of horses also in training for overseas service.
To the south behind the now present pine trees, were the many service buildings. These included 4 hospitals, 4 churches, nurses' and officer's accommodation, entertainment and other service buildings, a 50 yard swimming pool,and a row of shops including New Zealand's largest post office of that time.
To the east between Camp Rd and the Tauherenikau River was the tent camp which could accomodate up to 3,000 men. Soldiers who had completed their training would move to the Canvas Camp so they would be " toughened" for real war. Once each "reinforcement" was trained the whole group would then march over the Rimutaka Hill road to Trentham Camp before leaving from Wellington on ships to Europe.
Training usually took 2 - 4 months and it is estimated over 30,000 undertook training at Featherston Military Camp.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vg jba'g mncc lbh.